Axle puller with sliding hammer



Oct. 25, 1966 J. R. SMITH 3,280,455

AXLE FULLER WITH SLIDING HAMMER Filed July 6. 1965 INVENTOR. JAMES R. SMITH AGENT United States Patent 3,280,455 AXLE PULLER WITH SLIDING HAMMER James R. Smith, ()ntario, Califi, assignor to Charles H. Schubert, San Bernardino, Calif. Filed July 6, 1965, Ser. No. 469,665 1 Claim. (Cl. 29-254) This application is a continuation-in-part of my pending application Serial No. 330,787 filed Dec. 16, 1963, now abandoned.

The present invention is an axle puller of the sliding hammer type and pertains more particularly to the adapter portion thereof that engages a portion of the axle.

This type of axle puller employs a tubular member known as a hammer, which is slidably mounted on a shank having a handle at one end thereof and an adapter at the other end for engaging the circular plate or flange or nut on the outer end of the axle.

In the automobile servicing trade it is frequently necessary to remove the axle. This normally involves removal of the wheel and bolting the adapter of the axle removing tool to the circular plate or flange on the axle. The hammer is grasped and driven against the portion of the handle that is secured to the shank upon which the hammer moves. The impact of the hammer against the handle portion provides the force required for the removal of the axle.

The object of the present invention is to provide an adapter that can be quickly slid onto the outer end of the circular plate or flange of the axle by using the outer engaging members, or for certain types of axles using the smaller inner engaging members to engage a nut or washer at the outer end of the axle. This operation does not require bolting or any other fastening means and allows the same tool to be used for any of the types of axles found on the various models of automobiles.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the weight of the adapter is substantially equal to the weight of the sliding hammer, thereby providing for a counterweighting action which results in a damping effect as the result of the blow delivered by the hammer on the handle end of the axle removing tool. This feature of the device eliminates the lateral vibration which is often damaging to the seal or the bearing surface on the axle. Also the fact that the weight of the adapter and hammer is substantially equal, the axle is more easily dislodged during the pulling operation.

Although the foregoing objects of my invention are regarded as primary, other objects and features may become apparent as the specification proceeds and from the illustration in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the axle puller of the present invention, the hammer member being partly shown in dotted lines to indicate movement thereof in striking positions, and the shank being broken away for convenience of illustration.

FIG. 2 is a section taken through the adapter member in FIG. 1 on the line 22 thereof.

FIG. 3 is a slightly enlarged section on the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary detail, partly in section on the line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a modification of the adapter member of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of another form of the adapter member of FIG. 1, with a typical form of axle having the flange engaged as in position for removal thereof.

FIG. 7 like FIG. 6, but showing another typical form of the axle as it appears when engaged with the inner reentrant formation of the adapter prior to removal thereof, and

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the tapered axle end portion shown in FIG. 7, together with the washer and nut in the relationship used for removal of the axle.

Referring to the drawings, the adapter is generally designated by the numeral 1, and is provided with opposed inwardly extending engaging members 1112 which will fit over the circular plate or flange 21 on an axle 20, so that, as the adapter is moved laterally relative to the axle, the plate 21 will be engaged by members 11-12 and will extend into a generally C-shaped curved reentrant cut-out portion 13 extending rearwa-rdly from said opposed engaging members.

The adapter is provided with substantially fiat sides and is generally C-shaped and of uniform thickness, as best shown in FIG. 2, and is formed with a semi-circular outer edge and the inwardly curved reentrant cut-out portion 13 which merges into a second reentrant cut-out portion 4 partially separated from said first reentrant cut-out portion 13 by inwardly extending opposed flanges 15-16. Although the forms of reentrant cut-out portion 4 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 are adaptable to many forms of axles, it will be noted that the reentrant cut-out portion 4 of FIGS. 6 and 7 is more universally adaptable, in that the said cutout portion is generally semi-circular, as at 5a. Thus, the curved portion 5a may accommodate various sizes of washers and nuts.

In the FIGS. 1 and 5 form of adapter, the second re entrant cut-out portion 4 is provided with opposed laterally extending recesses 5-6, to the rear of the opposed flanges 15-16, and a rearwardly extending recess 7 to accommodate axle washers 18 and nuts 19 therein, in an obvious manner, not shown.

An elongated shank 8 is suitably rigidly connected to the rear of the C-shaped adapter and is provided with a handle 14 on the outer end thereof. A hammer or weight W, shown in FIG. 1, is sleeved on the shank and is adaptable to be moved thereover between the adapter and a stop 10 adjacent to the handle 14 so as to impart blows thereto to cause withdrawal of the axle 20. It is important to note that the weight of the hammer W is substantially equal to that of the adapter so that they will be counterbalanced. This will result in a damping effect, eliminate lateral vibration, and eliminate or materially reduce damage to the seals or bearing surfaces during the axle pulling operation.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the second cut-out portion 4 may be modified to the rear of said opposed flanges 1516 by having opposed laterally extending recesses 5-6 and a rearwardly extending recess 7 to accommodate axle washers 18 and nuts 19 therein, in an obvious manner, not shown.

When it is necessary to remove an axle 17 of the type shown in FIG. 7 having a washer 18 and nut 19 assembly on the extremity thereof, the adapter is so aligned therewith and moved relative thereto that the washer 18 and nut 19 will extend into the second cut-out portion 4 and the opposed flanges 1516 will abut the rear face of the Washer 18 and thereby retain the washer and nut assembly therewithin.

As hereinbefore described, the adapter may be used for removing axles having only a circular plate on the end thereof, or the type of axle having both a plate, and/or washer and nut assembly thereon. In the first instance, the plate will fit behind and be engaged by the inwardly opposed engaging members 1112 of the first reentrant cut-out portion of the adapter plate, whereas, in the second instance, the washer and nut assembly will be received within the second reentrant cut-out portion 4. Thus, this device is equally adaptable for use with axles of the type, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 6, and that of the type including a washer and nut assembly, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

While I have shown and described certain specific forms of my invention it is to be understood that various changes and-modifications may be made, as deemed desirable, within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In the axle puller for removing axles, comprising an elongated shank With a handle and stop means on one end thereof, a unitary substantially C-shaped arcuate adapter plate, said plate being of uniform thickness and having substantially flat sides, one end of said shank being fixedly secured to said arcuate portion, said plate having a generally C-shaped first re-entrant portion at the end thereof opposite to its connection to said shank, said portion having opposed inwardly extending engaging members at the outer end thereof, hammer means sleeved on said shank and slidable thereover between and adapted to engage said arcuate plate portion and said stop means, a second reentrant cut-out portion extending inwardly from said C-shaped first reentrant portion, and said sec- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,857,211 5/1932 Odlum et al. 29-257 2,450,293 9/1948 Oserowsky 29270 2,779,089 1/1957 Allen 29254 3,003,230 10/1961 Fornes 29254 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MYRON C. KRUSE, Examiner. 

